“It’s just fun to be back,” Pettersen said. “We have a good team bond. I’m excited to play with them the last few tournaments. I wish I could have been with them the whole season, but I’m glad to be with them at the end.”

Pettersen teed off with a 4-iron because she said her hips hurt too much when she hits her driver.

“ I can definitely still compete," she said. "I’ve got to get my full swing more ‘on’ though. If I’m going to be short, I’ve got to be straight.”

Rockford teammates weren’t the only golfers happy to see Pettersen back. Belvidere’s Morgan McNulty, who shot 89, enjoyed playing in Pettersen’s group.

“Oh my gosh, it was so much fun playing with her,” McNulty said. “We were joking and laughing. I had so much fun.”

Boys

Hononegah officially tied Boylan, but really holds the lead after Day 1 of the NIC-10 boys golf tourney at Ingersoll. The NIC-10 boys count regular-season dual meets, the first day of the conference tourney, the second day and the total score. Teams earn from one to nine points in each category.

Hononegah (7-2 in duals) shot 309. Guilford (6-3) shot 316, Boylan (9-0) had 317, Freeport (6-3) a 319 and Auburn (5-4) a 320. That leaves Hononegah and Boylan with 16 points each, Guilford with 14, Freeport with 12 and Auburn with 10, but the Indians have an eight-stroke lead over Boylan for total score.

Guilford’s Kyle Ketcham shot 70 and leads the individual race by five strokes over Hononegah’s Jacob McCabe, who has been bothered by a back injury all year.

“I’m still grinding through it, but playing through the pain has been worth it,” McCabe said. “It feels great to help out my team. I’m going to have to put the gas pedal down tomorrow.”